Clamp



mousing clamp -cable and similar strands.

Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THEODOREIBI'RKENMLAIEB, 0] ST. LOUIS, MISSOUR I, ASSIGNOR TO w. N. MATTHEWSCORPORATION, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOUBIQA CORPORATION OF MISSOURI CLAMPApplication med May 13,

This invention relates to clamps, and with regard to certain morespecific features to a for fastening wire, rope,

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofan improved and simplified clamp particularly adapted to be used as amousing and more. generally to make a variety of connections; theprovision of a ,clamp of the class described which is formed in onepiece and which is applied by an exceedingly simple operation; theprovision of a clamp of the class described which is adapted to tightlyand positively clamp a strand but which is relatively easily removabletherefrom; and the provision of a clamp of this class which isinexpensive to manufacture. Other objects will be .in part obvious andin part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements-of parts which willbe exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in whichis illustrated several of variouspossible embodiments of the invention,

, Fig. 1 is a plan view ofthe invention applied to a guy strand;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a preferred form of the invention; A

. Fig. 3 is anelevational view showing the clamp of Fig. 2 being appliedby means of a tool- 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken online 4.4 ofFig. 1 '(but inverted) and showing the tool of Fig. 3 giving the clampits final clamping operation; and,

5 is a view similar to FigLVZ but showing an alternative form of theinvention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

1931. Serial No. 537,021.

to the strand 1 by means of a-mousing clamp l1 comprised in theinvention herein.

The term strand in the present specificatlonand claims is inclusive ofstrands adapt ed to function for all purposes and includes wire, rope,cable and the like.

Formerly, the means used to secure a loose end such as 7 comprisedwinding wire or the like around the two strand ends- 7 and 9. Thismethod of fastening the end 7, how ever, was unsatisfactory, for thereason that undue amount of time was consumed in completing such abindingof the loose end 7 to the main strand, and furthermore, there Wasdifliculty incurred in removing the mousing in the event that it becamenecessary to tighten the strandl. This involved removing the clamp 5,pulling the loose end 7 farther through the eye 3 and replacing theclamp 5. One of the objects of the mousing ,is to protect anythin whichmay come in contact with the stran 1 from becoming en- .gaged with theloose end 7 and the wire that was used to bind the loose end 7 to thestrand 1, of itself provided loose ends which were also likely to touchor endanger objects coming in contact with the binding. I have overablelength along the sides of the walls 13 and 15.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the clamp 11 1s shown positioned over the ends9 and 7 of the strand 1 and pliers or a like tool 25 is shown applied tothe spurs 21. In order to form or curl the clamp 11 over the ends 7 and9, the jaws 27 of the pliers 25 are pinched together, and thereby forcethe walls 13 and 15 together and around the strand 1 'until the ends ofthe walls are juxtapositioned; see numeral 31. A rocking contact betweenthe jaws 27 and the spurs 21 is provided by edges 24 of the spurs 21 sothat as the walls 13 and 15 are forced around into a substantiallyclosing position overthe cable ends 7 and 9, the jaws finally actdirectly on the flat areas 23 to further force the ends of the walls 13and 15 together and consequently to clamp the clamp 11 tightly aroundthe two portions of,

the strand 1. 1

Figs. 1 and 4 show the clamp 11 thus tightly positioned or clampedaround the ends 7 i and 9. The ridge 19 runs along the inside of thebackportion 17 of the clamp 11 and keeps the clamp 9 properly centered withrespect to the strand as the clamp is applied.

It is clear that the areas 23 provide a substantial surface for thegripplng portion 27 of the pliers 25 to finally position the clamp- '11tightly around the two strand portions. The rocking contact provided bythe edges 24 permits of the clamping action being carried out with onepinching operation of the jaws 27, for when the jaws 27 are applied tospurs 21, the edges 24 roll on the surfaces of the jaws 27 as the walls13 and 15 are formed around the cables, until the fiat areas 23 arepresented to the tip of the jaws at which point the final clampingaction is carried out. The roughened surface of the j aw 27 helps toprevent the edges 24 from slipping away from the jaws 27 at any timeduring the applying operation, although such roughened surfaces aredesirable rather than necessary.

' The final clamping of the clamp 11 around the two strands tends topull out the ridge formation at 19, which however, as the grippingmembers 27 are removed, tends to spring back again. because of theelasticity of the material. Hence the tight gripping of the clamp 7about the two strands is further enhanced. A relatively soft, thoughnotwholly inelastic metal is preferable because it is more easily formedand does not tend to reopen this modification may also be used over aplurality of strand ends.

An advantage of the clamp 11 used as a mousing for strand rope or cableor the like is the ease with which it is applied, and the ease withwhich it may be removed in the event that removal is necessary. Forinstance, removal may be effected by inserting in the space between thewalls 13 and 15 as shown at numeral 31 a screw driver or the like afterwhich the walls may be pried apart, to allow the clamp 11 to be slippedaway from the end 7 while the guy 1 is being readjusted. This removaldoes not in any way damage the clamp 11 which may he slipped back overthe end 7 and tightened as before. The clamp 11 is also adapted totightly engage the strand 1 and accordingly will not slip or move out ofplace. Furthermore, the clamp 11 is relatively easy and simple tomanufacture, and is accordingly inexpensive. The clamp may bemanufactured by a simple stamping and forming operation.

- A special advantage of the modification shown in Fig. 5 is that amousing clamp has been provided for application to the ends of cable,rope and the like to keep the same from shredding, and the applicationof said clamp is more rapid than the application of twine or wire to thecable to effect the mousing clamp.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructionswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or' shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A clamp comprising a strip of bendable metal adapted to be positionedsubstantially around a strand, and means formed on said strip adapted tobe gripped, said means being adapted to effect said positioning aroundsaid strand when force is applied to said means, said means comprisingspurs struck out of said strip, said spurs forming first a rockingcontact and then a final holding surface for the gripping jaws of a tooladapted to effect said force.

2. A clamp comprising a strip of bendable metal adapted to be positionedsubstantially around a strand, and gripping means formed on said strip,said means belng adapted to effect said positioning around said strandwhen force is applied to said means and comprising spurs formed on saidstrip near the ends thereof.

3. A clamp for a strand comprising a U.- shaped length of bendable metaladapted to be placed oversaid strand, including side legs formed on saidstrip and means formed on the side legs, said means being adapted toeffect a rocln'ng contact and then a holding surface for the pinchingjaws of a tool, whereby the ends of said strip may be juxtapositioned.

4. A clamp for a strand comprising a strip of bendable metal adapted tobe tightly formed around said strand, said strip having an initialsubstantially U-shaped cross section, and means formed on side walls ofsaid strip, said means being adapted to effect a rocking cont-act andthen a holding surface for the pinching jaws of a tool whereby saidclampis formed around said strand, said means comprising spurs struck out ofsaid side walls.

5. A clamp for a strand comprising a strip of bendable metal adapted tobe tightly formed around said strand, said strip having sidewalls, meansformed on the side walls, said clamp being applied to said strand byinserting said strand between said walls and curling said Walls aroundsaid strand, said forming action being effected by the pinching jaws ofa tool applied to said means and said means comprising spurs struck outof said side walls.

6. A clamp comprising an initially U shaped bendable member adapted tofit over a plurality of strands, and integral means on the legs of saidmember adapted to be gripped by a pinching tool, the sha e of said meansbeing such that said tool W1 1 enga 'e' first to bend the legs and thento force t e ,ends of said legs toward one. another substantiallyendwise.

7. A clamp comprising an initially U- shaped bendable member adapted tofit over a plurality of strands, and means on the legs of said memberadapted to be gripped by a pinching tool, theshape of said means bemsuch that said tool will engage first to hen" the legs and then to forcethe ends of said legs toward one another substantially endwise and meanson the back of the U-shaped member adapted to maintain a predeterminedrelationship of the device with respect to said strands.

8. A clamp comprising an initially U- shaped bendable member adapted tofit over a plurality of strands, and integral means on the legs of saidmember adapted to be grlpped by a pinching tool, the shape of said meansbeing such that said tool will engage

